James Wilson

 

Private 800

 

78th Highland Regiment of Foot

2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

 

 

 

 

Compiled from original documents by

 

Gregory Salmers, BA MLS

 

30 October 2014

 

 

 

                        The Regiment at Edinburgh Castle, 1860

Wilson, James – Private 800, 78th Highland Regiment of Foot

 

 

Source of Information

 

The following information is summarized from the Adjutant’s Roll, pay records, Married Roll, Enlistment Paper, Attestation of the Recruit, Statement of Service, Record of Service, Military History Sheet, Medical History, Muster, comprising the service record of James Wilson, Private 800, of the 2nd Battalion, 78th Regiment of Foot, Seaforth Highlanders.  These documents were requested from the Archives at Kew, England, on 1 September 2014, for the sum of $225 by Greg Salmers, and received 19 September 2014 at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

 

Birthdate of Thomas Wilson, son of James Wilson, as confirmed by a separate document, a registered copy of an entry of birth, Father of Patricia May Wilson, Mother of Gregory Clive Salmers: 29 January 1882; at Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, India, with birth registered at military station at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. [Birth Certificate on hand]

 

                                                     Private James Wilson

 

 

This research was done to guide a trip to India in November 2014 during which visits to Lucknow and Sitapur will be undertaken.  The research was completed on 8 September 2014 by Erica Peacock, Advice and Records Knowledge Researcher, The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. TW9 4DU. 44 (0) 8876 3444. www.nationalarcives.gov.uk  Thirty-one pages of documentation were produced.

 

Note that in 1881 the 78th Regiment of Foot, and the 71st and 72nd were combined to form the Second Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.  Hence James Wilson enlisted to join the 78th Regiment of Foot, and finished his service with the Second Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.

 

 

From the Enlistment Paper & Attestation of the Recruit

 

For a brief history of the 78th Highland Regiment of Foot in the years immediately prior to 1860, read the account of Robert Brownlee, who served with the Regiment at the sieges of Bareilly and at Lucknow, both places James Wilson would see in his service.  In addition, Brownlee and James Wilson served together at Aldershot, Shorncliffe, Dover, Dublin, Gibraltar, Montreal, Quebec, and Halifax  See http://www.brownlee.com.au/Pages/Biographies/Robert-Brownlee-1833-1908.html .

 

Birth date:           Approximately 1843

Birth place:         In the parish of St. Cuthberts in or near Edinburgh, in the county of Edinburgh.

Married:              No

Apprentice:        No

 

Entered military service:               2 July 1860, Edinburgh, Scotland at twelve o’clock by

Thomas Hanaley of the 78th Regiment.

Occupation:        Labourer

Age:                       17

Height:                                 5 feet 4 inches

Complexion:      Fresh

Eyes:                     Grey

Hair:                       Brown

 

Expected service term:  11 years as of 5 July 1860 1:15 pm at Edinburgh Castle.

 

Previous service:  Edinburgh County Militia (See discharge)

Any distinctive mark:  a large scar over left ? and outside right thigh

 

He was found fit according to the medical certificate of 2nd July 1860 at Edinburgh Castle.

 

On 5 March 1868 James Wilson indicated he wished to engage for a further 14 years and 121 days, dated at Montreal, for the 78th Highlanders.  At that time he received 8 pounds, nine shillings, and no pence, comprising 1 pound bounty, 1 pound gratuity, bounty in lieu of furlough 3 pounds, and 1 pound allowance for 20 days on discharge, with 2 pounds 9 shillings commutation in lieu of Free Kit.

His pay statement dated, perhaps, 11 May 1886, was completed by a person in staff pay of the 72nd Regiment.

 

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, where James Wilson enlisted, and near to his birthplace, the Parish of St. Cuthberts

 

From the Statement of Service, Record of Service and Military History Sheet

 

 

Places of Service                              Dates                                                    Duration

 

Home                                                    5 Jul 1860 – 2 Aug 1865                   5 years                    29 days

Gibraltar                                              3 Aug 1865 – 5 Jul 1867                   1 year                    337 days

Canada                                                 6 Jul 1867 – 8 May 1869                  1 year                    307 days

Nova Scotia                                        9 May 1869 – 21 Dec 1871             2 years                  227 days

Home                                                    22 Dec 1871 – 14 Feb 1879            7 years                    55 days

East Indies                                          15 Feb 1879 – 26 Aug 1880            1 year                    193 days

S. Afghanistan                                   27 Aug 1880 – 1 Oct 1880               0 years                  364 days              

East Indies                                          2 Oct 1880 – 29 Apr 1886               5 years                  210 days

Home                                                    30 Apr 1886 – 11 May 1886           0 years                      5 days

 

 

Place of discharge: Gosport (near Plymouth, in the county of Hampshire, southern England.)

Character on being discharged:   Very good.

Claimed discharge after having prolonged his service beyond 21 Years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In confinement 2-4 Feb 1873. Belfast.  Imprisonment 5-25 Feb 1873. Belfast.

 

Released from imprisonment on 26Feb 1873, he was restored on G C Pay 6 Feb 1875 and received good conduct pay 6 Feb 1877.

 

He arrived in India 18 March 1879, and participated in the

Afghan Campaign:   1879-1880. He was awarded the Afghan Medal:   1878-79-80. His medal has not been located.  The medal depicted to the left is a sample of a medal from the Afghan Campaign.

 

Married to Elizabeth Martin, Register of Office, Belfast, Ireland, 30 January 1873.  Placed on Married Roll: 28 June 1872.

 

From the Adjustant’s Roll, Married Roll, Muster Rolls.

2nd Seaforth Regiment of Highlanders. Lucknow.

1Apr-30Jun1882.

2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Lucknow. 

1 Jul-30Sep1882.

2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Lucknow.

1Oct-31Dec1882.

2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Lucknow.

1Jan-31Mar1883.

 

Five children listed on 31 March 1883 as follows:

 

8 years 11 months

7 years 6 months

5 years 9 month

3 years 11 months

1 child born 29 January 1882.  Thomas Wilson!

 

Birthdate of Thomas Wilson, as confirmed by a separate document, a registered copy of an entry of birth, Father of Patricia Wilson, Mother of Gregory Clive Salmers: 29 January 1882; at Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, India, with birth registered at military station at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. [Birth Certificate on hand]

 

Desertions:

 

18 Oct 1860 to 11 Nov 1860 perhaps at Edinburgh.

Imprisoned 12 Nov 1860 to 13 Mar 1861.

22 Oct 1870 to 8 Nov 1870 perhaps at Halifax.

Imprisoned for 11 months 14 Nov 1870 to 15 Oct 1871.

 

Absent  without leave:

 

29 Jan 1872 to 29 Jan 1872 Belfast

29 Apr 1872 to 1 May 1872 Belfast

18 Oct 1872 to 22 Oct 1872 Belfast

30 Jan 1873 to 1 Feb 1873 Belfast

 

 

 

 

 

Medical conditions with locations, date of arrival, duration, and treatments and causes

 

Edinburgh Castle              2 July 1860                           August 9 – August 10                      Colera

Aldershot                            May 1861                             26 May – 29 May                              Bubo [illegible]

Shorncliffe                          January 1862                      16 January – 22 January                 Acute Bronchitis

                                                                                                                                                                Abscess

Dover                                    26 May 1863                       28 August – 11 November            Bubo

                                                                                                29 March – 2 April                            [illegible]/A fall

Dublin                                   8 Aug 1864                          16 Jan – 2 Feb 1865                          [illegible]/Contagion

                                                                                                12-20 July 1865                                  [illegible]/Accidental

Gibraltar                              17 Aug 1865                        3-11 Feb 1865                                    [illegible]

Montreal                             25 July 1867                        10-12 April 1868                                [illegible]/Contagion

Quebec                                                30 June 1868

Montreal                             6 October 1868

Halifax                                  12 May 1869

St John NB                         

Halifax                                  18 August 1870

Belfast                                  21 December 1871           25-31 October 1872                         Boil

Fort George                       8 May 1873

Aldershot                            15 May 1874

Dover                                    27 July 1875

Edinburgh                           12 October 1876

Fort George                       19 September 1877         27 Nov 1877                                        Re-vaccinated

Arrived in India                 18 March 1879

Baroda                                  2 March 1880

Southern Afghanistan    24 August 1880 

Poona                                   27 December 1880           No admissions

Sitapur                                  21 July 1881                        No admissions

Lucknow                              20 February 1882             

Rawalpindi (? Camp)       16 March 1885                   30 March – 4 April                            Diarrhea/Astringent/

Exposure to cold

Bareilly                                 21 April 1885

Baroda?                               24 March 1886

 

 

 

Vaccinations:  Prior to age 17, in left arm, and again in 1877.

 

Reason for discharge:   Served the maximum period of service, 25 years, 311 days. Last date in his Military History Sheet is 11 May 1886.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images of Locations Mentioned

 

 

Fort George, Scotland                                                 Gosport, England

 

 

 

78th Highlanders' in camp, Point Levis, Montreal, Quebec – 1867

 

Gibraltar Barracks – 1886

 

 

 

Brownlee(left) with fellow NCO’s – Montreal – 1867 Drummers of the 78th Regiment of Foot, 1860 –

                                                                                              Bass Drummer, side Drummer in Drill Order, 1860

Halifax Citadel - parade ground

 

 

Halifax Citadel – James Wilson was jailed here.

 

Members of the Regiment 1859

I am not a Highlander, but I wish I was one.

Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, Cawnpore, Indian Mutiny, July 17, 1857.

 

The Residency, Lucknow. Scene of the siege of 1857, location of Thomas Wilson’s

birth registration.

Sources

 

Enlistment Paper, Attestation of the Recruit, Statement of Service, Record of Service, Military History Sheet, Medical History, Adjutant’s Rolls, comprising the service record of James Wilson, Private 800of the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. Acquired from the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey. 8 September 2014.

 

Biography of Robert Brownlee, 1838-1909. An account of Robert Brownlee's life, family and military career. http://www.brownlee.com.au/Pages/Biographies/Robert-Brownlee-1833-1908.html .  Accessed 28 September 2014.

 

Certified Copy of an Entry in an Army Register Book of Births deposited in the General Register Office, Somerset House, London. Certified extract from the Register of Births of the 2nd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders registered at the Military Station at Lucknow for the six months ending 30th June 1882.  Given under Seal, 16 April 1945.  This document shows Thomas Wilson was born 28 January 1882 at Sitapur, James Wilson, Private 800, the father, Elizabeth Martin, the mother.  Registered at Lucknow, 13 March 1882 by (Sgd) Alexr. Ferrier, Presby. Chaplain, 2/Sea.High. Lucknow. - residence and description of informant. (Sgd) A.C. Christopher Lieut. & Adjt. 2/Sea. High. - the signature of the officer making the return.

 

Additional Research

 

From: Researchers <Researchers@thehighlandersmuseum.com>

Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 14:37:38 +0000

To: gregory.salmers@gmail.com<gregory.salmers@gmail.com>

Subject: 2nd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders - India 1879-1885

Dear Greg

I refer to your e-mail enquiry of 22nd August 2014 which was passed to me today for action. My sincere apologies for the delay in responding but since the stat of the WW1 Commemorations the Highlanders Museums has been inundated with enquiries and unfortunately this coincided with one of our three Volunteer Researchers moving to another part of the UK.

Anyway, I will try my best to respond to your enquiry and hope this response reaches you before you leave for India. The details I am able to share with you, which are extracted from the book Queen’s Own Highlanders – Seaforth and Cameron by Angus Fairrie, are as follows:

a.       The 78th in Afghanistan – 1879 to 1881

When the78th arrived in India the campaign in Afghanistan, in which the 72nd was serving , was in progress. When the news arrived of the attack on a British column at Mainwand, the 78th was also ordered to move to Afghanistan. The regiment was at first employed on protection of the lines of communications. After the Battle of Khandhar the 78th moved into Afghanistan, spending an extremely cold winter in tents at Khandahar , before returning to Sitapur in India in May 1881.

b.      The 78th becomes the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders in 1881

Under the Army Reforms of 1881 the 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) was amalgamated with the 72nd Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders. The 78th became the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders and the 72nd became the 1st Battalion.

c.       2nd Seaforth at Lucknow and Bareilly – 1882 to 1889

In early 1882 the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders moved from Sitapur to Lucknow. When the 1st moved to Aden to complete its Indian tour, it left behind with the 2nd Battalion a large number of men who volunteered to remain in India.

 

In 1882, when the1st Battalion in Aden was ordered to join the Indian contingent in the British expeditionary force to Egypt, it was below strength for active service, and so the 2nd Seaforth supplied two companies of reinforcements. They joined 1st Battalion in Aden, taking part in the campaign in Egypt and in the battle of Tel-el Kebir (13.09.1882), before returning to the 2nd Seaforth in Lucknow. In 1885 the 2nd Seaforth moved from Lucknow to Bareilly, where the battalion remained until 1889.

 

I trust that you will find the above helpful with your quest. If you care to forward your great grandfather’s name I will happily check the Medal Rolls we have for this period and if he features will gladly forward copies to the address you provided.

With kindest regards and apologies again for the delay in responding.

Yours sincerely

Bob Shanks

Robert Shanks

Hon Researcher

for Manager

The Highlanders' Museum

Tel Office:   01667 460466

Postal Address: Fort George, Ardersier, Near Inverness IV2 7TD

e-Mail: researchers@thehighlandersmuseum.com

 

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